Slack-adjuster.



w. H. SAUVAGE.

SLACK ADJUSTER.

APPLICATION FILEDJAN-ZS. 1916.

Patentefi May 29, 1917.

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SLACK ADJUSTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-25.1916.

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WILLIAM H. SAUVAGE, OF FLUSHING, NEW YORK, ASSIG'NOR T0 GOULD COUPLER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SLACELADJUSTER.

Application filed January 25, 1916.

1 b (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM H. SAnvAGn, citizen of the United States, and resident of Flushing, in, the county of Queens and State'of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slack-Adjusters, of which the fOllOWiIlg is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic slack adjusters for the brake rigging of railway cars and the like.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an automatically operating device of the above general character which will be simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture. A further object is the provision of a highly efficient and reliable automatic slack adjuster more particularly adapted for use on the truck brake rigging of railway cars, although many features are equally applicable to the foundation brake rigging associated with the power cylinder. A further object is to provide a device of the above general character which may be readily applied to the brake rigging now in general use without material modification and will permit the adjustment of said rigging, as when replacing worn brake shoes from the side of the car without requiring the inspectors or trainmen to go beneath the car.

Other objects will be in part obvious from the annexed drawings and in part indicated in connection therewith by the following analysis of this invention.

This invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of parts and in the unique relations of the members and in the relative proportioning and disposition thereof, all as more completely outlined herein.

To enable others skilled in the art so fully to comprehend the underlying features thereof that they may embody the same in the numerous modifications in structure and relation contemplated by this invention, drawings depicting a preferred form have been annexed as a part of this disclosure, and in such drawings, like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout all the views in which Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a portion of a car truck with such parts of the truck rigging applied thereto as are necessary to understand the present involition;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1917.

Serial No. 74,176.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the slack adjuster and portions of associated brake rigging;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of certain parts shown in Fig. 2;

v Fig. 1 is an end view of certain parts shown in Fig. 2;

s Fig. 5 is av perspective view of one of the parts of the release mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and more particularly to Fig. 1 wherein is shown conventionally by dotted lines the wheels and side frames of a car truck of usual type, the brake rigging comprises a pull rod connected to the upper end of a live lever (i, the lower end of which lever is connected by means of a two part extensible pushrod or takeup device 7-S, to the lower end of a dead lever 9 supported from adjustable brake hanger 10. Intermediate the ends of the live and dead levers are located brake beams 11 adapted to carry the usual brake shoes 'coacting with the periphcries of the adjacent wheels of the truck. The end of the dead lever fulcrum support is connected in any suitable manner to the car bolster 12.

p The slack adjuster mechanism herein illustrated and described includes the barrel member 7 of the push rod, Fig. 2, and telescopic member 8 preferably round in cross section fitting therein as better shown in Fig. 3. The opposite ends of these members are pivotally connected at 12 and 13 re spectively tothe lower ends of the live and dead levers. This barrel member 7 is preferably in a single piece and is provided with an enlarged housing 1 1 near its open end adapted to hold one or more dogs'15. These dogs are preferably made. of a rectangular piece of metal case hardened and provided with central apertures slightly larger than the diameter of the push rod and conforming in shape thereto. The dogs are normally held in a canted position as shown in Fig. 8 by means of a spiral of coiled spring 16. These dogs will permit relative extension of the push rod 8 and its eoacting casing or barrel member 7, but will positively prevent an inwardly telescoping movement of the parts under normal operation or until the dogs are intentionally released by means of the unlocking mechanism hereinafter described.

Other forms of holding mechanisms such as shims may be substituted if so desired,

adapted positively to take up and hold the excess travel exhibited between the effective ends of the members constituting the push rod although the structure shown and described is believed to be more advantageous due in part to its accuracy of adjustment and operation.

Adjacent the housing and preferably cast integral therewith to save expense are two lugs 17 through which passes an adjusting rod 18 having a pivotal connection at one end adjacent to the pivot pin 19 of the brake beam fulcrum upon the live lever. Intermediate the stops 17 is positioned an adjusting rod friction spring clamp 20 which will permit a certain amount of lost motion to take place and insure the usual brake shoe clearance and piston travel. This friction spring clamp may be of any desired typeadapted to be attached to the adjusting rod with suflicient friction to permit relative movement of the rod therethrough in both directions under certain circumstances, yet normally is adapted to permit movement in one direction only and cause a relative outward movement of the push rod 8 from its casing 7 to take up the exact amount of slack or false travel due to wear of the brake shoes. This lost movement may be varied at will by in terposing one or more washers 21 between the clamp 20 and one of the lugs 17.

The brake beam 11 adjacent the live lever 6 is provided with a bifurcated strut member 22 provided with openings in its free end through which the pivot pin 19 is adapted to pass and between the bifurcated portion of which is positioned the live lever 6. This pivot pin 19 projects materially beyond the outer faces of the member 22 and is provided with a head at one end and a washer 23 and cotter pin 24 on the other adapted to hold a release spring 25 in proper position thereon. This release spring is shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 4:, and comprises broadly a U-shaped member having spirals 26 between the bottom 27 and its free ends 28, these spirals being coiled about the pivot pin 19 as shown. The free ends 28 of the spring 25 are provided with eyes through which a bolt 30 is adapted to pass.

From the above it will be clear that as the live lever is actuated and moves toward the right, Fig. 2, it will place the coils of this spring 25 under tension, as the bottom 27 reacts against the bifurcated portion of the brake beam strut and on release of the brake actuating power this spring will return the live lever to normal position by its peculiar shearing action exerted upon these parts. In other words there is a unique localized turning and twisting action exerted between the live lever and its fulcrum.

The release mechanism for the holding dogs 15 is shown clearly inFig. 3 and @0111;

prises an unlocking lever 31 projecting outwardly through an opening in the top end of the housing and lying substantially parallel with the push rod 8. The inner end 32 of this lever turns downwardly at right angles about both sides of the push rod as shown in the detail perspective view, closely adjacent the side of one of the dogs 15. Thus as this lever is moved either to one side or the other by a push or pull of an actuating rod 33 extending to the side of the truck the downwardly projecting or L-shaped portion 32 of the lever will coact with the adjacent dog and move all of them into a position lying substantially at right angles to the push rod or against stop 34:, therebypermitting the rod 8 to be moved freely in or out, as desired. This unlocking lever being connected at both sides by the operating rods 33 which extend through to both sides of the truck closely adjacent the spring plank, may be operated either by pushing or pulling on either red from either side, thus making the device fool proof against inexperienced operators. hen the lever 33 is released,-a bar may be inserted between the wheel. and brake beam and actuated to move the brake shoes relatively toward each other and thus compress the telescopic take-up member.

At the upper end of the live lever is placed a coaeting stop mechanism as shown more clearly in Fig. 1. This mechanism comprises a stop 35 formed integrally with the pull rod. Its free end may coact with a projection 36 on the car bolster opposite the dead lever support, and these coacting parts may be varied in size as so desired. The release spring will always bring them into engagement on release of the braking power.

The device operates in substantially the following manner: Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 1, an application of the brakes will cause the upper end of live lever 6 to move toward the right and react through the telescopic push rod to carry the lower part of the dead lever and its brake shoe into operative position with respect to the adjacent wheel. The movement will also cause the tensioning of the release spring 25. If excess travel takes place, that is, beyond the predetermined amount allowed for brake shoe clearance between the stop lugs 17 and friction spring clamp 20 the adjusting rod 18 will. slide through the friction clamp a corresponding amount to permit effective application of the brakes. On release of the brake power the brake shoes first drop away from the wheels due to provision of the lost motion device constituted by the spring clamp 20 and stop lug 17, and a reverse movement of the live lever takes place under the action of the return spring 25 to return this live lever to full normal position with the stop 35 at its upper end against the car bolster or stop 86. If there has been any excess travel or false motion of the brake beams during the braking operation due to wear of the brake shoes for example, and the live lever fails to complete its full effective movement, the friction clamp 20 engaging the stop 17 holds the end of the rod 18 through which the pivot pin 19 passes in relatively fixed position whereby it acts as a fulcrum about which the live lever turns to pull the push rod 8 out of its casing an amount equal to the excess travel.

This taking up action between the temporary and permanent holding devices is repeated from time to time as may be necessary to properly adjust the rigging to the wear of the parts and insure uniform piston travel of the braking power. When it is necessary to replace the worn shoes the holding dogs are released and the push rod forced back to its original position. The new shoes are applied and on the first actuation of the brakes thereafter the device will automatically adjust itself to the new conditions.

It is thus seen that the present invention provides a. simple, practical, reliable and eflicient mechanism adapted to accomplish, among others, all the objects and advantages above set forth. The peculiar action of the return spring acting directly upon the live lever positively insures the return of these parts to normal position without causing a distortion of the foundation brake rigging.

lVithout further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and therefore such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims:

I claim:

1. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a push rod, a live lever connected therewith, a brake beam fulcrum for the live lever, and a return spring associated with said parts adjacent the fulcrum.

In automatic slack adjuster, in combination, live and dead levers, an intervening connection therebetwecn, a. brake beam fulcrum for the live lever, and a return spring associated with the fulcrum.

3. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, live and dead levers, an intervening connection therebetween, a brake beam pivotal fulcrum for the l1ve lever 1ntermediate its ends, and a return spring coacting with the live lever and coiled about its pivotal fulcrum.

4. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, live and dead levers, a push rod therebetween and pivotally connectedwith the lower ends of said levers, brake beams pivotally connected with the levers intermediate their ends, and a return spring associated with one of said levers and reacting upon the adjacent brake beam.

5. I11 an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, apush rod, a live lever pivotally connected to one end thereof, a brake beam pivotally connected with the live lever intermediate its ends, and a Lshaped return spring coiled about the pivotal connection between the live lever and the brake beam and reacting upon both of said parts.

6. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a push rod, a live lever pivotally connected to one end thereof, a brake beam strut pivotally connected with the live lever intermediate its ends, and a U-shaped return spring coiled about the pivotal connection between the live lever and the strut and reacting upon both of said parts, said return spring being of general U-shaped construction having its lower part bearing upon the under side of the strut and its upper ends coacting with the live lever above its pivotal connection.

7. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, live and dead levers, an intervening connection, brake beam struts associated with the live and dead levers, and a U-shaped return spring supported upon the pivotal connection between the live lever and its strut fulcrum and having its opposite ends coactin with said parts.

8. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a dead lever, an extensible push rod thcrebetween, brake beams associated with the levers and having pivotal connections therewith, an adjusting rod pivotally connected with the live lever and coacting with said extensible push rod, and a return spring associated with the connection of the live lever and adjusting rod.

9. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a dead lever, an extensible push rod therebetween, a housing associated with the push rod, holding means within .aid housing adapted to prevent a telescopic movement of he parts of the push rod, brake beams associated with the live and dead levers and pivotally connected therewith intermediate the ends of said levers, and an adjusting rod supported near its ends from the pivotal connection of one of said levers and one of the parts of said push rod and having a variable lost motion device at one of its points of support.

10. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a dead lever, an

extensible push rod therebetween, a housing associated with the push rod, holding means within said housing adapted to prevent a telescopic movement of the parts of the push rod, brake beams associated with the live and 'dead levers and pivotally connected therewith intermediate the ends of said levers, an adjusting rod connected with the pivotal connection of one of said levers and one of the parts of said push rod, and a return spring directly connected with the said last mentioned pivotal connection.

11. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a dead lever, an extensible push rod therebetween, a housing associated with the push rod and holding means within said housing adapted to prevent a telescopic movement of the parts of the push rod, brake beams associated with the live and dead levers and pivotally connected therewith intermediate the ends of said levers, an adjusting rod connected with the pivotal connection of one of said levers and one of the parts of said push rod, and a return spring directly connected with the said last mentioned pivotal connection, said return spring bein of general U-shaped con struction having a plurality of turns intermediate its ends coiled about the pivotal connection and adapted to be tensioned as the brakes are applied.

12. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a permanent takeup device associated therewith, frictional adjusting means adapted to take up the excess slack and register the same upon said device and having one end connected with said live lever, and a return spring associated with said connection.

13.'In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a brake beam adjacent thereto provided with a strut pivotally connected with said lever, a push rod and take-up device associated with the said lever, frictional means intermediate the push rod and the lever adapted to temporarily take up the excess travel due to wear of the parts and permanently register the same on said take-up device when the brakes are released, and a return spring associated with the pivotal connection of said live lever and reacting between the strut and said lever.

14. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a brake beam ad jacent thereto provided with a strut pivotally connected with said lever, an extensible push rod associated with the lower end of said lever, means intermediate the push rod and the lever adapted to temporarily take up the excess travel due to wear of the brake shoes and register the same on said push rod when the brakes are released, and a return spring associated with the pivotal connection of said live lever and reacting between the strut and said lever, said return spring being of general U-shape construction and having its sides coiled about said pivotal connection, its lower end reacting upon the strut and its other end coacting with said live lever.

15. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a dead lever, an extensible push rod connecting the lower ends of said levers, an adjusting mechanism adapted to take up temporarily the slack due adjusting rod passing through said lugs and connected with one of said levers, a friction clamp associated with said adjusting rod and lying between said lugs and being of a size adapted to permit a predetermined brake shoe clearance, holding dogs within the casing coacting with the push rod, and means for releasing the holding dogs from either side of the truck by either pulling or pushing on said means.

17 In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a dead lever, a push rod connecting the lower ends of said levers comprising a tubular casing, a member adapted to fit therein, stop means projecting from one side of said casing, and an'adjusting rod passing through said means and connected with one of said levers, afriction clamp about said adjusting rod and lying between said means of a width adapted to permit a predetermined brake shoe clearance, holding dogs within the casing coacting with the push rod, and means for releasing the holding dogs from either side of the truck, said last mentioned means comprising an L-shaped lever having one end adapted to 1 engage the holding dogs and having its opposite end connected by actuating rods extending to the side of the truck.

18. In an automatic slack adjuster, in

combination, a live lever, a dead lever, brake beams associated with said levers, struts forming pivotal fulcrums for said levers projecting from the sides of said brake beams, an extensible push rod connected between the lower ends of said levers and pivotally connected therewith comprising a pair of telescopic members, one of said members being provided with a housing, and spring actuated holding dogs engaging the other member, and means operable from either side of the truck to temporarily release the dogs to permit the parts being moved to original position, said means including a lever projecting into said housing and into contact with one of said dogs and having intervening connections between one of its ends and the sides of the truck.

19. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a dead lever, brake beams associated with said parts, struts projecting from the side of said brake beams and pivotally connected to said levers, an

intervening connection between the lower ends of said levers, and a return spring associated with the live lever having its upper end engaging the live lever above its pointof pivotal connection with the strut, its intermediate portion being coiled about the pivot and its lower end reacting against the under side of the strut.

20. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a dead lever, brake beams associated with said parts, struts projecting from the side of said brake beams and pivotally connected to said levers, an intervening connection between the lower ends of said levers, and a return spring associated with the live lever having its upper end engaging the live lever above its point of pivotal connection with the strut, its intermediate portion being coiled about the pivot and its lower end reacting against the under side of the strut, and means associated with said parts adapted to take up and hold the slack on excess travel of the brake rigging and permanently hold the same.

21. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a brake beam associated therewith, a strut projecting from the side of said brake beam and pivotally conn cted to said lever, and a return spring associated with the live lever having its upper end engaging the live lever above its point of pivotal connection with the strut, its intermediate portion being coiled about the pivot and its lower end reacting against the under side of the strut, and means associated with said parts for taking up the slack on excess travel of the brake rigging and permanently holding the same, said means including a friction take up device for temporarily taking up the slack and a permanent holding device adapted to be actuated by the temporary device when the brakes are released.

22. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, a brake beam associated with said parts, a strut projecting from the side of said brake beam and pivot ally connected to said lever, and a return spring associated with the live lever having its upper end engaging the live lever above its point of pivotal connection with the strut, its intermediate portion oeing coiled about the pivot and its lower end reacting against the under side of the strut, and means associated with said parts for taking up the slack on excess travel of the brake rigging and permanently holding the same, said means including a friction take-up device for temporarily taking up the slack and a permanent holding device adapted to be actuated by the temporary device when the brakes are released, said mechanism being associated with the lower end of the live lever.

23. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a truck bolster, a dead lever mounted on said bolster, a stop at the opposite side, said live and dead levers being pivotally connected at their lower ends and provided with an intervening automatic slack adjusting mechanism, and a rearwardly. extending projection adjacent the upper end of said live lever adapted to coact with the stop on said bolster.

24. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a truck bolster, a dead lever mounted on said bolster, a live lever and pull rod associated therewith, said live and dead levers being provided with automatic slack adjusting mechanism, and a rearwardly extending projection adapted to coact with the bolster and connected with the pull rod.

25. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a bolster having projections at opposite sides, a dead lever supported from one of said projections, a live lever, a pull rod pivotally connected therewith, automatic slack adjusting means intermediate the live and dead levers, and an extension at the upper end of the live lever adapted to coactwith one of said projections upon said bolster to limit the return movement of said live lever.

26. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a bolster having a projection on one side, a dead lever supported from said projection, a live lever, a pull rod connected therewith, automatic slack adjusting means associated with the live and dead levers, and an extension integral with the pull rod at the upper end of the live lever adapted to coact with said bolster to limit the return movement of said live lever, and it return spring associated with said live ever.

27. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a bolster, a dead lever support/ed therefrom, a live lever, a pull rod connected therewith, automatic slack adjusting means intermediate the live and dead levers, means at the upper end of the live lever adapted to coact with said bolster to limit the return movement of said live lever, and a return spring associated with said live lever, said means being integrally connected with the pull rod of the brake riggin 28. In an automatic slack adjuster, in comcao bination, a bolster, a dead lever adjustably supported therefrom, a live lever, a pull rod connected therewith, automatic slack adjusting means intermediate the live and dead levers, and an elongated extension at the upper end of the live lever connected with the pull rod adapted to coact with said bolster to limit the return movement of said live lever.

29. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a bolster, a dead lever adjustably supported therefrom, a live lever, a pull rod connected therewith, automatic slack adj usting means intermediate the live and dead le-.

vers, an extension at the upper end of the live lever adapted to coact with said bolster to limit the return movement of said live lever, and a return spring associated with said live lever at its brake beam fulcrum.

30. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a bolster, a live lever and strut, a pull rod connected with said lever, automatic slack adjusting means associated with the live lever, means at the upper end of the live lever adapted to coact with said bolster to limit the return movement of said live lever, and a return spring associated with said live lever, coacting directly with the live lever and strut carried thereby.

31. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a bolster, a dead lever supported therefrom, a live lever at the opposite side of the bolster, automatic slack adjusting means intermediate the lower ends of said levers, brake beams supporting said levers and having pivotal connections therewith, a

of said projections, a live lever at the opposite side of the bolster, automatic slack adustlng means intermediate said levers, brake beams carried by said levers and pivotal connections therewith, a return spring asso ciated with one of the pivotal connections of one of the levers, and a stop at the upper end of the live lever adapted to coact with the adjacent projection upon the car bolster to limit the return movement of the live lever, said projection being connected at the upper end of the live lever to form a continuation of the brake actuating mechanism.

33. In an automatic slack adjuster, in combination, a live lever, an extensible two-part push rod connected therewith, an adjusting rod connected with the live lever and one of the parts of the push rod and having a pre determined lost motion connection with the latter, a friction device associated with said lost motion connection, and means associated therewith adapted to vary the predetermined lost motion at will.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of N. Y. this 16th day of December A. D. 1915.

WILLIAM H. SAUVAGE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

